I’ve been thinking a lot about my inner wiring lately. Growing up, I played a lot of team sports and was very competitive. Somewhere along the way, this has slowly faded.
On the Hard Index, 0 being Marshmellow and 10 being Goggins … I’m probably a 3. I’m not quite a garnish for Mocchacino’s, but I’m not carrying any boats either.
I know I’m not at my best physically, but I’m working on that. More importantly, I need to find a bit of grit. I need to find that inner dog.
Through all of this mental chatter, Huntaway Run Co popped into my head. I’d done some brainstorming around the newsletter and thought I would approach some Kiwi brands to see if they would like to advertise in it. (You may have noticed my cringey attempts at writing ads.)
Vicki was keen to give it a try, and the next thing I knew, a pair of shorts and a running tee were at my front door to test out.
So, I’ve been giving their kit a good workout over the last month or so.
If you haven’t heard of them, Inia and Vicki created Huntaway Run Co. The name was inspired by their rescued Huntaway, Doug.
Doug the Huntaway
I’m sure there are a ton of punishing details, highs and lows, etc, but I’m gonna skip to the chase. They landed their first shipment of kit in 2023, and it’s been popping up on the trails and the gram more and more.
So here we are. The first-ever Trail Running NZ kit review. Look out, Ginger Runner. There’s a new Ranga in town.
Ranger 01 Trail Tee $82
First Impression:
“How the f🤬ck can a running top feel so damn good?”
Likes
📏Looong: It’s perfect for a long torso-challenged runner like me.
No more builders crack, no more back chafe.
🧸Soft: It’s like they’ve fused a teddy bear with body armour. It’s built to last but also super comfy.
🩸Nipple friendly: I didn’t tape or lube my nips on a 5-hour night run when it was a little chilly (if you know what I mean), and I didn’t have the slightest irritation.
Dislikes
💦It’s air drying only, which is a little punishing when we’re heading into winter in Wellington. It takes longer than all my other running tops to dry.
🐟More of a heads up: It uses upcycled fish scales in the fabric, so if that’s not your buzz, this isn’t for you.
Performance:
It does exactly what it says on the box: Hardworking gear for trail runners. It feels good to put on, and as soon as you start running, you don’t think about it again. If you’re thinking about your top or shorts mid-run, it’s usually not a good sign.
Fit/Comfort:
As soon as I pulled this out of the courier package, I could feel how nice the fabric was. It’s super soft and has a really springy feel to the fabric.
I prefer a slightly larger top, so I went for the large. Even though it has a slightly baggy look, it still feels like a second skin. My favourite part is the length. I won't have to show my crack to the world ever again.
I’ve struggled with other tops riding up my back, getting caught under my vest, and starting to chafe my lower back. There’s no way that would happen with this.
It’s also a Raglan cut, so the sleeves run all the way up to the neck instead of attaching to the shoulder. This keeps the neck exactly where it needs to be. I hate it when a running top's neck is wide and gets pulled over to the side.
Durability:
I’ve only had the top for about a month, so judging the durability is hard. But looking at the stitching and construction, it looks built to last. I’m sure if you go running through some leatherwood, it might have an issue, but even then, I think it would come off better than most.
Design/Appearance:
It just comes in black, which is a classic and a staple in most people's running wardrobes. It’s comfy and stylish, and I love the cut of the T. It almost has a street look to it, which I like. I would be as happy going out for lunch in it as running, which I can’t say about my clearance New Balance outlet store tops.
Value for Money:
Now it’s not that I’m a tight arse … It’s just that I want to get great value for money😝.
I wouldn’t normally spend $82 on a running top. The crew at Huntaway sent these for me to trial … BUT I will ask them just to send me an invoice.
Summary
If you’re looking to buy a quality running top that will last you years while protecting your nipples and skin, you can’t do much better than this. Yes, it’s on the higher end of the price scale, but if you can afford it, I think it’s worth every dollar.
Foster 01 Trail Short $129
First Impression:
“Shiiiiiiet, that green is gangstar.”
Likes
☎️The back zip-up phone pocket actually works. It doesn’t bounce; the phone doesn’t get covered in sweat.
🤐The 2 front pockets are reverse zips, so you have to pull them up so they can’t slowly creep open.
🍌The 2 elasticated gel/snack pockets work surprisingly well. I can fit several gels/ bliss balls in each.
Dislikes
🩲No liner, just shorts. Fingers crossed, there is a separate liner in the works.
🍾No Flask pocket; carrying a flask never worked well for me with the T8 shorts, so it’s not a deal breaker for me, but it might be for others.
Performance:
The shorts are super light and stretch in all the right places. The material holds its shape well, and once I started running, I didn’t think about it again.
I’ve always been sceptical of phone pockets in running shorts. But this one actually works. Zero bounce, the zip works nicely without creeping open. My iPhone fits well, but I’m unsure how the new super duper mega-thick phones would perform.
I only put my car keys in the zipped-up front pockets, but they would be a handy place to stash more gels and bars. I could then rotate them to the easy-access elasticated pockets on the back, which fit plenty and are easy to access on the run.
One side effect has been I’ve started wanting to mark my territory everywhere I go.
Fit/Comfort:
You wouldn’t catch Courtney Dauwalter wearing them, but I do like my shorts on the shorter side. What’s the point of building up those quads if you won’t show the world?
They fit true to size on the size chart. They're light and stretchy, so they don’t catch when you change direction, etc. What more do you really want from shorts?
Durability:
Just like the top, I’ve only been running in them for a month, so it’s hard to judge the durability. But what I can say is that all the zips on the pockets are quality YKK zips. I would be surprised if these things didn’t stay in my running lineup for five or more years. I’ve had two pairs of T8 shorts, and my impression is that these are of a higher quality than the T8s, which set a good benchmark.
Design/Appearance:
I LOVE the green. I’m more of a blue guy, but the dark forest green on these is sick. If looking snazzy is as important to you as functionality, I don’t think you’ll be too disappointed.
Value for Money:
$129 is a lot for shorts if you’re used to buying from the clearance rack at Dressmart. They won’t suddenly drop 10 minutes on your 10K time.
But it’s hard to put a price on feeling comfortable when you’re deep in the fight. We’ve all been there hours into a race, and your shorts are riding you harder than a coked-up jockey.
Summary
If you’re in the market for a high-quality pair of shorts that will handle everything from squats at the gym to squats in the backcountry, these are the shorts for you.
Check out the Trail Tee here
Check out the Shorts here
I’m under no contractual obligation to say anything good about Huntaway Run Co’s products, and I don’t get anything from them if you buy. They’ve paid to have the ads in the weekly newsletter; This is separate from that.